Dana Corporation Providing Axles and Driveshafts for General Motors 4x4 Medium-Duty Trucks

Toledo, Ohio -- Nov 09, 2004 -- Dana Corporation (NYSE: DCN) announced today that it is now supplying front and rear drive axles and driveshafts for General Motors’ new 4x4 GMC TopKick and Chevrolet Kodiak medium-duty trucks. 

The new 2005 model marks the first time GM has offered a four-wheel-drive option for this platform.  Dana has supplied the rear axle and driveshaft for the 4x2 versions of the TopKick and Kodiak since 2001. 

“Driveline components are one of the main building blocks of a vehicle and represent a key area of expertise at Dana,” said Michael J. Burns, Dana chairman and CEO.  “We are proud of our capabilities and proud to provide General Motors with a solid solution for their new 4x4 truck platform.  This reaffirms our commitment to growing Dana’s core businesses.”

“Dana is known for providing robust technologies that support even the most rugged 4x4 vehicles, and the product for this GM program only strengthens our reputation,” said Mike Laisure, president of Dana’s Automotive Systems Group.  “Improved ride and handling, lower NVH levels, and improved strength are just three of the benefits Dana’s axle technology provides with its drive-side (above-center) design.”

The axles are being produced at Dana’s Buena Vista, Va., facility and the driveshafts are being produced in Brantford, Ontario, Canada.  Production of the four-wheel drive version of the TopKick and Kodiak has begun at GM’s Flint, Mich., truck assembly facility.

Dana Corporation is a global leader in the design, engineering, and manufacture of value-added products and systems for automotive, commercial, and off-highway vehicles.  Delivering on a century of innovation, the company’s continuing operations employ approximately 45,000 people worldwide dedicated to advancing the science of mobility.  Founded in 1904 and based in Toledo, Ohio, Dana operates technology, manufacturing, and customer-service facilities in 30 countries.  Sales from continuing operations totaled $7.9 billion in 2003.  Dana’s Internet site is www.dana.com.

 

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